Prevalence of Avian Influenza Virus in Atypical Wild Birds Host Groups during an Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Strain EA/AM H5N1.

Journal: Transboundary and emerging diseases
PMID: 40303166

Abstract

The global outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 Eurasian lineage goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b virus that was detected in North America in 2021 is the largest in history and has significantly impacted wild bird populations and domestic poultry across the continent. Synanthropic birds may play an important role in transmitting the virus laterally to other wild bird species and domestic poultry. Understanding the dynamics of HPAI in atypical, or nonreservoir, wild bird hosts may help inform management decisions and potential risk factors to both wild and domestic bird populations. Following the confirmation of infections of HPAI H5N1 in domestic poultry at two commercial premises in Indiana, United States, we sampled and tested 266 Columbiformes and Passeriformes birds and found no detections of the virus at either location. We further queried laboratories within the National Animal Health Laboratory Network for avian influenza (AI) virus diagnostic test results for wild birds submitted from morbidity/mortality events, for a total of 9,368 birds tested across eight orders and 1,543 avian influenza virus detections between February 2022 and March 2023. Query results were assessed for viral prevalence by taxonomic group and suggested that the virus most often was observed in predatory and scavenging birds. The highest prevalence was observed in raptors (0.2514), with prevalence rates in exclusively scavenging reaching up to 0.5333. There is evidence that the consumption of infected tissues is a key pathway for transmission of AI viruses in predatory and scavenging birds. Although detections were found in nonpredatory synanthropic birds, including orders Columbiformes and Passeriformes, the risk of transmission from and between these groups appears comparatively low. Understanding the dynamics of AI viruses in synanthropic bird orders during the global HPAI H5N1 outbreak in wild bird populations can provide pertinent information on viral transmission, disease ecology, and risk to humans and agriculture.

Authors

  • Jourdan M Ringenberg
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Program, Fort Collins 80521, Colorado, USA.
  • Kelsey Weir
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Program, Fort Collins 80521, Colorado, USA.
  • Lee Humberg
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services, West Lafayette 47907, Indiana, USA.
  • Carl Voglewede
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services, West Lafayette 47907, Indiana, USA.
  • Mitch Oswald
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services, Springfield 62711, Illinois, USA.
  • J Jeffrey Root
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins 80521, Colorado, USA.
  • Krista Dilione
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Program, Fort Collins 80521, Colorado, USA.
  • Evan Casey
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Program, Fort Collins 80521, Colorado, USA.
  • Michael Milleson
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services, Gainesville 32601, Florida, USA.
  • Timothy Linder
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Program, Fort Collins 80521, Colorado, USA.
  • Julianna Lenoch
    U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services National Wildlife Disease Program, Fort Collins 80521, Colorado, USA.

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